EXPLAINED: Before after cleaning transformations | Vintage Vibes

Generally speaking, people tend to have different tolerances for messiness. Most of us know (or are!) a stereotypical artist who embraces chaos and lives in what many assume is a mess, though it’s a carefully arranged system based on convenience. There’s a reason why there are stacks of paper all over the floor… though the dozen mugs of cold coffee next to their desk were probably just forgotten about and far intentionally placed there.

In other words, people are different. Some thrive when there’s a bit of creative chaos or don’t mind a small backlog of chores. Others, however, feel best in a gleaming home that’s always showcase-ready. The issues start popping up when there’s a lack of hygiene. Plopping a sweater and a pair of pants on the back of your chair won’t break the world. Not taking out the trash, letting dust build up week after week, and wearing the same dirty clothes day in and day out, however, is awful for your health and dignity. It also won’t impress anyone who comes over.

There are plenty of reasons why someone fails to clean their room month after month. It might have something to do with the deep sense of exhaustion they feel from school or work—they might not have the mental energy to do anything but rest after a long day. Others are (let’s face it) simply lazy and would rather do something pleasurable (watching TV, playing video games, going out with friends) than spend their valuable time wiping stuff.

Meanwhile, if someone is typically an organized person, living in a messy home can, sometimes, be an indication that they might have depression, according to PsychCentral. In short, letting your chores pile up for weeks and months on end can be a reflection of your inner mental and emotional turmoil, feeling overwhelmed, and having an utter lack of motivation. Living in a clean house can help your mental health.

On the flip side, compulsively cleaning your home each and every day for hours on end is potentially a sign that you have OCD: you're sacrificing time that could be spent enjoying life to the fullest by fighting against literal and metaphorical contamination. In both cases, you ought to reach out to a mental health specialist. You may have undiagnosed depression or OCD.

A while back, Bored Panda spoke to parenting blogger Samantha Scroggin, from Walking Outside in Slippers, and she was kind enough to give us some top tips about keeping the house clean and doing chores while raising kids.

"Keeping the house clean is a moving target in my experience. But for me personally, an at least somewhat clean house is tremendously important to my mental health. A tidy house helps me feel more in control of my life, and able to handle the curveballs that often come our way as busy parents,” Samantha shared with us during an earlier interview.

According to the parenting blogger, she makes small mental housekeeping task lists each day and tries to get through them.

"The tasks could be as simple as emptying the dishwasher or putting away a load of laundry. Maybe most importantly, I invest in a professional housekeeping service once a month. That helps keep the house in a manageable state to the point that I can keep the house from getting totally out of control in-between visits. That said, I think parenting comes with a certain degree of clutter to be expected,” she said.

"My house is always a little bit chaotic because we all have big personalities and are a loud and busy bunch. But I stress to my kids the importance of us being kind to one another. Kindness and love are at the root of a happy home for me, even when things get crazy and we slip up and say things we don't mean,” mom Samantha told Bored Panda.

"I have a terrible time getting my kids to do chores, so I don't have much advice in this department. Sometimes, with lots of praise and often with a small monetary payment, I can get my kids to help with chores they don't mind. I do insist my kids clear their plates after every meal, and clean their rooms," she said.

Meanwhile, during another interview, Bored Panda spoke about our homes as a way of keeping ourselves happy by staying true to who we are with Dan Bacon, from The Modern Man. He noted that we’ll never impress everyone, so it’s best to focus on living in the type of home where we put our needs first and foremost. Focusing just on how we want others to perceive us is a path to misery and anxiety.

“A man’s home is part of what people initially use to judge his social status and character. However, how he behaves and acts with the people who come over to his place says so much more about him," he pointed out that how we act and speak is far more important.

"A man might have a perfectly tidy, well-designed, and stylish home, but be very nervous and try too hard to impress people who come over. So, rather than seeing him as a cool, confident, successful man they can admire and look up to, most people just perceive him as a nervous, insecure guy with a nice place. Alternatively, they may see him as a guy who tries hard to please others with material things because he's insecure about himself and doesn't feel good enough in their eyes,” the dating expert told us.

"Remember that most people care more about themselves than other people. So, allow people to talk about themselves, rather than always trying to be the center of attention. Also remember to not try to oversell yourself or your place, to hopefully gain people’s approval. Be confident and secure in who you are as a person and let your surroundings provide additional clues about who you are and how you approach life,” Dan tackled the topic of having guests over at one’s place.

"If you enjoy placing a lot of importance on your home because it means a lot to you, then do that. If you only see it as a place to live and want to focus your attention on other things, you should do that. You can never impress or please everyone, no matter what you do. Just look at celebrities as an example. They have millions of people who love them and millions who hate them,” he said.

"The same applies to your home. You will never make it, furnish it or arrange it in a way where everyone loves you for it and wishes they had it. Some people will love it, others will like it and some will hate it. So, just enjoy doing what you want to do. That’s the only way you’ll truly be happy."